Today, professing Christians find it very difficult to connect Faith with Obedience to the Truth of God’s Word. Any form of teaching and preaching obedience is considered 'legalism' and a taboo subject in most churches. Too much talk of obedience, sin, and the consequences that come from disobedience scares people away from the church. People are convinced they can possess the 'faith' of devils (who 'believe' and tremble - James 2:19) and still inherit the Kingdom regardless of their conduct. Yet the very essence of faith is OBEDIENCE to the truth of God’s Word! (Hebrews 11:1)
The Bible has much to say about faith and obedience. For example, James 1:22 says... "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Faith according to James, is of little value without living obediently to what God says. Of this kind of “faith” James says that even the demons believe! And, they shudder because of it.
Jesus himself says... “If you love me you will obey what I command” John 14:15. “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” John 14:21. “Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him'” (John 14:23)
Even Abraham (the Father of the Faithful, Galatians 3) is shown as one who had faith and obedience: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
There appears to be no real faith without obedience. It is interesting that the Apostle Paul sometimes even appears to use “faith” and “obedience” so closely together that they are nearly interchangeable. Paul says in Romans 1:5... Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
James told us that 'Faith without works it dead!' (James 2:17) He went on to say that, "By WORKS faith is made perfect!" (James 2:22) But the real force in his statement of truth, says that faith apart from works is not saving faith. It’s a matter of love. Do you truly love God and desire to be in a right and holy relationship with Him? If you do and you are, then works are a nature result of genuine FAITH. Works born of a genuine love for God and a deep desire to be obedient to His purposes is the only evidence that PROVES our faith is REAL! In other words, if you have genuine faith you will be doing and acting and serving the Kingdom of God... motivated by as love for God from the depths of your heart. Without evidence of your love for the Lord, demonstrated in your works, you are 'believing' in vain.
In Christianity today, there is an incorrect understanding of the true Biblical nature of “soul saving faith.” As a result, we have over 35,000 denominations with masses of unproductive professing Christians, convinced they are 'saved' forever because they once had a moment of true faith, or think they did. They can neither explain the nature of faith, the purpose of grace, nor do they produce the fruit of righteousness. Yet they are told by renowned bible scholars that they are saved by 'grace' and 'nothing' else is required of them in order to be saved. What about Peter’s answer to a profound question on the the day of Pentecost... as recorded at Acts 2:38? I’ve read over and over his answer to the crowd of people who heard him speak on that momentous day, and can not come to any other conclusion but that “baptism” is required for salvation, to gain a right standing with God and to be empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
It’s all about obedience to a requirement of God – baptism. It’s the beginning of a walk with the Lord absorbed completely and solely in His Truth.
The failure to make this Divine 'connection' between faith and obedience has resulted in multitudes of ruined lives and lost souls. No one but God Himself can measure the devastation this has caused to mankind. How many so-called Christians, who think “they’re good to go” are really lost because they 'believe' the lie – that GRACE means God no longer sees their sins and obedience is legalism? How many marriages have been destroyed by this teaching? How many teenagers have killed themselves 'believing' they would go to heaven? And how many preachers are in quiet bondage to sin and lust while promising others 'liberty' in Christ? (2 Peter 2:18)
Christianity today is a 'selfish' religion, designed, morphed and parsed to fit the lifestyles of people who know little or nothing of the Truth of God’s Word. The result? People who call themselves Christians remain in bondage to their sin, pursuing the things of the world without the slightest concern for their own soul or the souls of others, believing themselves to be “new creations” in Christ. Sadly, they are destitute of true holiness and obedience from which a genuine faith grows.
God SAVES you by His Grace [a second chance] when you repent of your sins, believe in Him and submit to baptism. The benefits are extraordinary... literally out of this world. (Acts 2:38; Acts 20:21) But that doesn't mean you don't have to OBEY Him. As Israel had to continue to OBEY to enter the Promised land, nothing has changed, certainly not God in His dealings and provisions for humanity. "Diligent to enter that rest, lest you FALL after the same EXAMPLE of DISOBEDIENCE!" Hebrews 4:11.
Grace provides the POWER for you to WALK after the Spirit and not the flesh, thereby KEEPING His commands and fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law. (Titus 2:11-14, Romans 6:16, 8:1-4) That's why if you LIVE according to the flesh, as the children of Israel did, you will suffer the same fate. (Romans 8:13)
Have you made the connection between 'faith' and 'obedience' in your life as a Christian? When Jesus says to 'believe' on ME for everlasting life, it INCLUDES EVERYTHING He taught about remaining steadfast to the end! Matt 10:22.
Make the connection... Faith and Obedience! This is not hard to understand. The warnings in Scripture are given in love, to show us the way. Nothing about this is hypothetical or for someone else. If you do not continue to Obey Him, you also will fall into Satan's trap and end up eternally alienated from God.
GRACE provides the Power, you provide a willing heart by which it can work. (2 Thess 1:11) You are NOT saving yourself. His WORD saves you... as you OBEY it!
"And we desire that each one of YOU show the same DILIGENCE to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you DO NOT become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith & Steadfast endurance inherit the promises!" Heb 6:11-12
"Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward, for you have need of Steadfast Endurance, so that after you have DONE the Will of God you may receive the promise!" Heb 10:35-36
"Looking diligently lest anyone FALL short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled." Heb 12:15
NO ONE will remain saved by Grace – God’s offer of a second chance, IF one fails to OBEY continually, precisely and exactly the WORD of God.
Saving faith is total all-in commitment.
Saving faith produces good fruit.
Saving faith is obedience.
